Automatic train-order and message hoop holder



E. A. WEBB May 27, 1930.

2 Sheets Sheet 1 Filed March 13 v u 6 29% a a 1 m m M MW 7 7 4 o no 2 MW m 4 5 A a w [WI/Z wman ATTORNEY May 27, 1930.

E. A. WEBB AUTOMATIC TRAIN ORDER AND MESSAGE HOOP HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 13 1929 ATTORNEY by handing up these hoops.

Patented May 27, 1930 nairsn stares rArsarosi-icn EARL A. WEBB, 0F WHITMAN, NEBRASKA AUTOMATIC TRAIN OR-DEB AND MESSAGE HOOP HOLDER 7 Application filed March 13, 1929. Serial No. 346,703.

train employee projects his arm and as the I train passes thrusts hisarm through the hoop and thus secures the order or message. Sometimes the train employee will miss the hoop, particularly at night. Not so much difficulty is experienced during the daytime but when trains are running at a high rate of speed it is manifestly dangerous, particularly at night, for an employee to stand a short distance from the track while the train is passing and hold out this hoop, and often employees have been injured, struck or run over As a consequence, many employees lack the nerve to properly deliver the hoops. There are other disadvantages in thishand delivery of train orders and messages, the hoops. are not always held uniformly with respect to the train and as a result the hoops are frequently missed, especially at night or in a fog. This necessitates stoppage ofthe train and at least occasions delay and expense, if nothing more serious happens. Trains frequently have to slow down to catch the hoops, as it is almost impossible for one to stand as close to a fast moving train as hand delivery requires. 1 am aware that attempts have been made to provide mechanical means for delivering these hoops, but for various reasons these devices have not been commonly accepted.

The primary object of my present invention is to provide a mechanism wher'eby anywhere from one to four message hoops may be supported in a certain position for delivery to a passing train, held in such way that the hoops shall be presented tothe train in serial order, whereby only one hoop shall be supported in a delivery position at one time and when one hoop is.caught by a passing train another hoop is automatically brought into delivery position. 7

A further object is to produce a device of this character which shall be of a very simple construction and which is easily operated to the extent that an inexperienced or careless employee might properly set and use the device. I 1 A further object is to provide a device of this character which shall be safe for the employees to use and also safe for the public.

A i still further and important feature of the invention is to construct the same in such manner thatthe hoop holding hand or member might, if'desired, be easily and quickly detached from thedevice, so that the same need not. be exposed to the elements in win ter weather except whendesired for immediate use. i

A still further object is the provision of a device for-this purposewhich is supported a su'tiicient distance away from therailway track and at an elevation sufiicient to'prevent the, same from becoming an obstruction to persons or objects in close proximity thereto or therebelow.

The invention will be fully and comprehensively understood from a consideration of the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of the application, with the understanding, however, that the improvement is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawings nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, suchchanges and modifications may be made therefrom as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the'scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawingsi I Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a face view thereof, the message carrying hoop being removed.

.Figure 4c is a front elevation of the mast to which the frame is secured;

Figure 5 isa View substantially similar to Figure l'but illustrating a slight modification. c

Figure 6 is a perspective view looking toward the lower end of the swingable brace.

at r

Figure 7 is a somewhat enlarged sectional View approximately on the line 77 of Fig- I of the fingers of the hoop holding member.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of one of the metal tubes to which the train order hoop handle is attached.

At a suitable distance inward'of a railway track I may erect at a station platformone or more uprights in the nature of a mast 1. In the showing of Figure l a single mast is employed but in the showing of Figure 5 two uprights are utilized. In either instance the uprights or masts support thereon a'frame. The frame comprises an upper plate 2 and a lower plate 3. The plates are held in spaced relation by brace members 4-l. The brace members and frame are of metal and the spaced brace members 4, p for a portion throughout their length'are arranged in close proximity and in parallelism and these straight portions are connected by spaced pins or bolts 5 and 6, respectively. The upper plate 2 has fixed thereon a pair of spaced angle ears 7,respectively.

The upper elements 2 of the frame are arranged a suitable distance above the station platform, the upper plate 2 being arranged at an elevation'of approximately six feet.

There is pivotally secured to the outstanding elements of the angle ears the inner ends of the angularly disposed members or arms 88 of the arms 9 that provide the horizon tal support of the improvement. The arms 8 are held in spaced relation by suitable'elements 10 and 11, respectively, and there is swingably secured on the inner element 11 a brace bar 12 which has its free end formed with an angle notch" that enters from one of its edges and provides the same with an outer finger 13 and an inner finger 14. The edge of the brace 12 upon which the inner finger 1a is formed is preferably slightly beveled and the notched end of the brace 12 is designed-to be received between the pins or bolts 5 and 6 to permit of the finger 14 contacting with the lower pin or bolt 6 when the longitudinalpassage of the notch receives the said pin therein.

When in such position'the arm 9 will be held horizontally with respect to the frame of the mast thereon. Obviously the notch may be easily and quickly brought out of engagement with the bolt or pin 6 to permit of the arm 9 swinging alongside of the mast. The arm 9. has its outer end formed with what I will term a socket 20 and the top wall of this socket has fixed thereon one end of a flat spring '15 whose other end carries a lug or detent 16 that passes through an opening in the said upper wall of the socket. The detent. is provided with a handle portion 17 whereby the same may be brought partly out of the socket. The detent is designed to be received in a notch 18 in the upper edge of the wall of a substantially rectangular stem 19 that is snugly received in and contacts with all of the walls of the socket 20. The stem 19 may be integrally formed with or may be centrally fixed to the reduced sides or arms of spaced plates 21. These plates have their outer portions spread away from each other but arranged'in" parallelism as indicated by The hoop holder or hand is in the nature of a segmental plate, having its reduced end pivoted, as at 26, between the plates 21. The outer and weighted end of the holder is integrally formed with radially disposed fingers which are arranged in spaced pairs and which are indicated by the numeral 27 and 28, respectively. The lower fingers 27 have preferably secured on their ends inwardly extending but laterally projected plates 29, the upper fingers 28 having arranged on their ends laterally extending plates 30. These plates are centrally concaved, 'as at 31, and the said'plates 30 have theirnpper edges connected withthe offset endsof the arms of coil springs 32 which are supported in brackets or housings 33 on the said upper arms 28. Thus the plates 30 are. in the nature of spring influenced j aw members and exert a pressure toward the fixed jaws or plates 29.

The inner and rounded end 34 of the segmental or hand shaped holder 35 has its upper edge provided with spaced teeth 36, one of which being arranged in a line with the respective pairs of spaced fingers 27 and 28, and these teeth are designed to be en gaged by a pivotally supported dog 37 and is disposed between the spaced plates 21 of the holder support. V

The spaces between the fingers 27 and 28, at the inner ends thereof are preferably widened for the reception of substantially U- shaped clips 38, each of the said clips being pivoted, as at 39, between the pairs of arms 27 and 28. i I

The train orderor message hoop is of the usual construction and, therefore, I have not deemed it necessary to set'forth the same in detail. 7 e Y These hoop members are disclosed in Figures *1 and 2 of the drawings and are inditubular member 42 therein.v

cate'd respectively by the numeral 40. The

arms of the hoops vary in length and in order that each of the said hoops shall be projected to the same extent from my improvement, the arms 41 ot' the said hoops are received in metal tubes 42. Obviously the arms 41 may be cut to desired lengths. When arranged in the tubes 42 the arms 41 are riveted or otherwise fixed thereon. The inner ends of the tubes are solid and are substantially U-shaped in cross section, as indicated by the numeral 44 in Figure 10 of the drawings. From the U-shaped ends the sides of the tubular members 42 are concaved, as at 45. This permits of the tubes being readily received in the substantially U-shaped clips 38 when arranged between the spaced pairs of fingers 27 and 28. The outer plate 24 of the support is formed with a central depression 46 that receives the The tubular member is, of course, engaged by the concaved edge 31 of the jaw plates 30 and held in frictional contact with the outer edges of the plates 29 and also in the central concavity 46 in the plate 24.

A train to receive the hoop and message thereon has arranged on its side, in a line with the center of the hoop a hook member 4? of a constructionsimilar to a mail pouch catcher commonly employed on mail trains. As the train passes the hook. will pass through one or the hoops, that is the hoop carried by the lowermost pair of fingers of the holder 35. This will cause the hoop to be drawn laterally between the fixed jaw or plate29 and the movable spring influenced jaw 31 through the spaced fingers 27 and 28 and out of the clip 38. The dog 37 engaging with the teeth 38 will prevent any tendency of the holder member 35 to move in an upward direction. It is, of course, to be understoodthat message carrying hoops have their tubular ends 42 received between each pair of fingers. As one hoop is moved from between the fingers and rides off the guide bar or plate 24, the holder 35 will swing by gravity to bring the hoop carried by the next upper pairs of fingers against the stop and guide plate 24 so that all of the hoops are successively and serially removed from the device by the successive passage of trains until all the orders are distributed.

The holder device may be readily removed from the socket when the apparatus is not in use. The support- 9 as previously stated may be swung against the mast. When in use the mast is disposed a considerable distance away from the track of the passing trains and the holder is so elevated that it will not serve as an obstruction to persons passing therebeneath.

The spaced and connected plates for the segmental holder constitute a frame-like member. The arms 41 of the hoops 40 may have their ends shaped to correspond with the rounded head portion of the tubular members 42, in which instance the tubes may be dispensed with. The tubes, however, are desirable inasmuch as the same materially reinforce the ends of the arms and, therefore assist the hoops in withstanding the strains to which they are subjected. The device is simple and the advantages thereof will, it is thought, he understood andjappreciated without further detailed description.

Having described the invention, 1 claim: 1. A train order hoop delivery apparatus, comprising a horizontal support, a framelike member attached to the outer end thereof, a segmental holder pivoted for vertical swinging downwardly through the frame and having its widened end formed with extending pairs of fingers designed to receive therebetween the arms of a train order hoop, means for normally retaining said arms between said fingers and the arm of each hoop designed to successively rest on the outer end of the frame-like member as the hoops are sequentially withdrawn I from between the fingers and the holder swings upon the removal of said hoops, and means for preventing an upward swinging of the holder.

2. A train order hoop delivery apparatus,

com risin a horizontal su ort a frame- 7 like member removably attached to the outer end thereof, a segmental member pivoted for vertical swinging downwardly through the frame, and having its widened end formed with extending pairs of fingers designed to receive therebetween the arms of a train order hoop, means for normally retaining said arms between said fingers, and each of the arms designed to rest successively on the outer ends of the frame-like member as the hoops are sequentially withdrawn from the fingers and the holder swings upon the removal of said hoops.

3. A train order hoop delivery apparatus, comprising a horizontal support, a framelike member removably attached to the outer end of the support, latching means for holding the frame-like member on the support, a vertically disposed segmental holder pivoted'for swinging downwardly through the frame and having its widenedend formed with extending pairs of fingers designed to receive therebetween the arms of a train order hoop, means for normally retaining said arms between said fingers and each arm'of the hoops designed to successively rest on the outer end of the frame-like member as the'hoops are sequentially withdrawn from between the fingers and the swinging of the holder upon the removal of said hoops.

4. A train order hoop delivery apparatus,

comprising a horizontal support having an outer socket end, a frame-like member having a stem to be'received in the socket, means for latching the stem in the, socket, a vertically disposed segmental holder pivoted for swinging downwardly through the frame and having its widened end formed with extending pairsof fingers designed to receive therebetween the arms of a train order hoop, means for normally retaining said arms between said fingers and each arm of the hoops designed to successively rest on the outer end of the frame-like member as the hoops are sequentially withdrawn from between the fingers and the swinging of the holder upon the removal of said hoops.

5. A train order hoop delivery apparatus comprising a horizontal support, a framelike member removably attached to the outer end thereof and supported in longitudinal alinement therewith, a vertically disposed segmental holder pivoted for downward swinging through the frame and having its reduced and pivoted end provided with teeth, a dog pivoted in the frame to engage with the teeth, said holder having its widened and outer end formed with extending pairs of fingers designed to receive therebetween the arms of a train order hoop, means for normally retaining said arms between said fingers and each arm of the hoops designed to successively rest on the outer end of the frame-like member as the hoops are sequen tially withdrawn from between the fingers and the swinging of the holder upon the removal ofsaid hoops.

6. A train order hoop delivery apparatus, comprising a horizontal support, a frame like member removably attached to the outer end thereof, and coextensive therewith, a vertically disposed segmental holder pivoted for downward swinging through the frame, said holder having its outer end formed with extending pairs of fin ers designed to receive thereb'etween the arms of a train order hoop, pivotally supported substantially U-shaped clips between the fingers to engage the inner ends of the arms, a fixed jaw on each of the lower fingers, upon which the arms rest, a

swingable jaw upon each of the upper fingers for holding the arms against the lower jaws and each arm of the hoops designed to rest successively on the outerend of the frame-like member asthe hoops are sequentially wit drawn from between the fingers and the holder permitted to swing upon the removal of the said hoops. r

7. A train order hoop delivery apparatus comprising a horizontal support, a frame-like member removably attached to the outer end of the support and coextensive therewith, said frame-like member having an outer laterally extending plate whose upper edges, adjacent to the ends thereof, are notched, a vertically disposed segmental holder pivotedfor downward swinging through the frame, and having its outer and widened end formed with extending pairs of fingers, each pair of which spring influenced toward the lower plates,

for holding the arms against said lower plates,

and said arms designed to successively rest on the outer plate of the 'framedike member, as the hoo )sare sequentially withdraw from between the fingers and the holder is thus permitted to swing upon such removal of said hoops.

8. A train order hoop delivery apparatus, including a mast, supporting a frame thereon which includes both spaced horizontal and vertical members, a pair of spaced bolts connecting the vertical members, a holder pivotally secured to the upper members of the frame, a swingable plate on the support having its free end notched to provide spaced fingers and a groove between said fingers to receive therein the lower connecting element for the vertical members of the frame, said support having an outer socket end, a framelike members having a stem received in the socket, a spring influenced latch for holding the stem in the socket and for sustaining the frame-like member in parallelism with the support,avertioally arranged segmental member pivoted for downward swinging through the frame-like'member, said member having its outer and widened end formed with extending pairs of fingers designed to receive thorebetween the arms ofa train order hoop,

tubular members on the ends of said arms, having their free ends headed, spring clips pivoted between the arms to engage with the heads of the tubular members, and each of said tubular members designed to rest successively on the outer end of the frame-like member as the hoops are sequentially withdrawn from between the fingers and'the holder is permitted to swing by the removal of said hoops. V

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

. EARL A. WEBB. 

